Microsoft confirmed an issue with Windows 11 that can prevent some people from signing in to a device using Windows Hello. The problem affects using facial recognition to unlock a device.
Luckily, the issue only affects a subset of Windows 11 users. Microsoft refers to the issue as an "edge case" and notes that it only appears after installing a specific Windows 11 update and performing a Push button reset or using the Reset this PC feature while selecting Keep my Files and Local install.
That’s a pretty specific set of circumstances for the bug to appear.
Microsoft outlined the issue in a support document:
"We're aware of an edge case of Windows Hello issue affecting devices with specific security features enabled. After installing this update and performing a Push button reset or Reset this PC from Settings > System > Recovery and selecting Keep my Files and Local install, some users might be unable to login to their Windows services using Windows Hello facial recognition or PIN. Users might observe a Windows Hello Message saying "Something happened and your PIN isn't available. Click to set up your PIN again" or "Sorry something went wrong with face setup"."
At the time of publication, there is not a fix for the Windows Hello bug. There’s no fix yet, but there is a workaround.
If your PC is affected by the issue, you can log in to your device using a PIN. You can also set up your facial recognition again.
A passwordless future?
Microsoft advocates moving away from passwords and using alternatives such as passkeys. One of the ways you can authenticate your identity without a password is to use Windows Hello.
The tech giant states that the "ultimate goal is to remove passwords completely." To help meet that goal, Microsoft redesigned the interface for logging in to a Microsoft account recently. The new experience is optimized for passwordless setup.
When bugs like the Windows Hello issue appear, some may pause to ask if going passwordless is a good idea. But even if Windows Hello does not work for some reason, you are still able to use a PIN to sign in to your PC.
When you set up Windows Hello, you have to set up a PIN as well. This requirement ensures that you have a way to log in to your PC even if Windows Hello runs into an issue.
